Absolut Invite is coming up fast and you can be there!

[ The post is sponsored by Absolut Vodka. ]

Absolut believes a committed, creative team is the key to a successful cocktail bar. Which is why we created Absolut Invite, the only bartender competition that asks bartender colleagues to perform together as a team. 

Because while you might reckon you can mix up the best drink in the world all by yourself, that’s only a small part of operating a bar – Absolut believes real success is defined by how well a team performs as a whole: through knowledge, speed, and skill. 

Now in its second year, 11 teams around China have already been chosen through the Absolut Matchup regionals to progress to the Absolut Invite China final, which will take place in Shanghai on April 23 at UMI in TaiKoo Hui. What’s at stake? Not just the glory, but a place at the Global Final in the home of Absolut – Sweden.

Here are the 11 teams that have made it to the 2018 Absolute Invite China final:

Shanghai：JZ Club / Barules

Beijing：D Lounge x Neverland / Mokihi

Chengdu：澜谷 / BARTENDER

Shenzhen：RMK / Ciao Amici

Guangzhou：SPIN / 101 / Song's Club

Congratulations to all teams for their progress so far. But to win, bartenders will need to work together to outperform ten other teams across four challenges: Knowledge, Sensory, Speed & Skill, and Creative Mixing. Two teams with the highest accumulated points will then battle it out in one last final challenge.

Knowledge: Have you got the knowledge and the know-how? In this round, teams need to ace a multiple-choice test covering Absolut, Nightlife, History and Drinks.

Sensory: No hiding here: correctly identify five different white spirits out of a blind selection of 10 different products. 

Speed & Skill: This is where things heat up: Teams must work hand in hand to make eight different drinks as fast, but also as accurately, as they can. Points are lost for failure to follow recipes, wrong garnishes and slow times. The record last year was less than ten seconds for one drink. Will we witness a new one?

Creative Mixing: Time to put on a show! This is the heart of the comp, where teams really demonstrate their creativity, hospitality and charm, by making and presenting their own Absolut twist of either a Sour, Collins or Modern Martini. A chance to really impress. 

Hey finalists – feeling the tension start to build after running through those challenges? Take a deep breath (maybe a shot of chilled Absolut?), and read what Sean Xia and Six Liu from E.P.I.C. have to say. This was the team that triumphed in the 2017 Absolut Invite China final, earning themselves a wonderful trip to Sweden.

“The secret to winning is simple: practice,” says Sean Xia. “Six and I had already built up trust and a silent understanding from working together every day at E.P.I.C. before the competition, but you’ve still got to spend lots of time with your teammate doing just one thing – practice.” 

As for the Global Final in Sweden, the duo took an impressive second place among all the finalists. Six Liu admitted that “We were beyond proud to represent China, and were so happy to get recognized by outstanding bartenders around the world. The final will also be a fantastic opportunity for you to meet new friends and learn from them.”

Don’t miss the chance to witness a high-energy, fun-packed showcase and, of course, the crowning of China’s next Absolut Invite best bartender team, starting 2pm on April 23 at UMI, in Shanghai’s TaiKoo Hui. To RSVP, please email your name, your bar and your contact number to 

[e-mail].

📍 UMI, 3/F, TaiKoo Hui, 288 Shimen Yi Lu, Jing'an District, Shanghai 

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